Local

Local bars prepare for Final Four viewing parties

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — After the excitement for North and South Carolina fans during the Elite Eight, local bars said they’re getting ready for a swarm of Gamecock and Tar Heel fans for the Final Four on Saturday.

The crew at Flight, the viewing site for the Gamecocks, said they were already making plans for Saturday after Sunday’s game.

Flight’s manager, Kevin Corolla, said about 500 dedicated alumni showed up hours before the game started, just to get a seat.

On Friday, there were numerous delivery trucks dropping off beer and food for that many people or more.

“Planning out for Saturday and Monday, I ordered hundreds of cases of beer,” Corolla said. “I put a bigger staff than New Year's Eve on.  It’s the most people we have working for the whole entire year.”

After the University of North Carolina’s big win Sunday, Moo and Brew, where UNC alumni watch games, started scrambling for this weekend.

Owner Ken Thomas said they need more help during game time.

“We have every staff person that we have available working,” Thomas said. “And actually I was just talking to one of my managers.  We’re looking for a couple more just to work outside.”

That's where they'll have a bar, a big-screen TV and the well-known blue "he's not here" cups to accommodate the big numbers.

“I think we had right around 400 people for the Carolina-Duke game.  So I’m expecting similar numbers,” Thomas said.

Both bars said they have their food and beer distributors on standby to make deliveries if they host championship parties that night.

Both bars are not reserving tables, so they expect people to get there several hours early to claim a spot.